"My Beirut Chronicles features Lebanese writer, director and cartoonist Claude El Khal’s take on current world events, through both words and illustrations.
How would you describe the evolution of your blog?
It’s a strange thing actually. I launched the blog as soon as I went on the internet. I wasn’t on the internet at all before 2009, and then I suddenly I created a Facebook page, a website, a twitter account, pretty much the whole package, all at the same time. But the blog wasn’t given that much importance at the time so I would simply publish a few articles every now and then. Things took a much more serious turn a couple of years ago with the advent of ‘Daesh’ and then the Charlie Hebdo attack and now the civil movement, so these three events one after the other played a huge role in the evolution of the blog as I wrote extensively about each of them and this is what made the blog what it is today.
What makes your content unique in your opinion?
I think what makes my content unique would be my opinions. It’s not a general blog that talks about everything and anything as you may have noticed, although I respect these types of blogs and I enjoy reading them regularly. My blog is more of me sharing my viewpoint about current events in the world and I think this is what makes it unique. Being a cartoonist, I am also trying to give it a magazine feel. So sometimes you have cartoons, other times you have articles or even serious analysis of situations and events, which makes the posts very diversified.
What motivates you to keep going with your blogging after all this time?
Obviously I’m not happy with the way the world is going and eventually someone has to say something. I know many others are doing so as well, but I just cannot remain idle and passive with regard to what’s going on in the world and not do anything about it. It’s not me, it’s not who I am.
If you were to pick just one word to represent your blog, what would it be?
My blog is me. And just as I cannot describe myself in one word, I cannot describe my blog in one word.
What are your future plans for the blog?
I actually had a plan but it was somewhat hindered after the economic situation slowed down. I wanted at some point to turn the blog into an online magazine, with other writers and cartoonists involved. I would surely keep on writing but I also wanted to give a voice to others and turn the blog into an online hub."
I actually had a plan but it was somewhat hindered after the economic situation slowed down. I wanted at some point to turn the blog into an online magazine, with other writers and cartoonists involved. I would surely keep on writing but I also wanted to give a voice to others and turn the blog into an online hub."
Interview by Christina Fakhry